The Hindu : Advani, Joshi must resign: CPI

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Monday, Jun 09, 2003

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Advani, Joshi must resign: CPI

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI JUNE 8. Demands for the resignation of the Deputy Prime Minister, L.K. Advani, and the Human Resource Development Minister, Murli Manohar Joshi, continue to be made by their political opponents. Today, the CPI (M), the Nationalist Congress Party, the Lokjanshakti and the CPI (ML) demanded that the two Ministers named by the "chargsheeted kar sevaks", resign from the Union Cabinet.

In a statement issued this afternoon, the CPI (M) central committee pointed out that if the two Ministers had even a remote consideration for political morality they must quit immediately. "Failing to do so will only confirm the fact that RSS/BJP is utilising its control over the state apparatus to manipulate the case and protect the guilty," it said.

Calling for the immediate dismissal of Mr. Advani and Dr. Joshi, the NCP general secretary, Tariq Anwar, said that the Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee, must immediately seek their resignation "to uphold parliamentary democracy and the rule of law".

The Lokjanshakti leader and former Union Minister, Ram Vilas Paswan, told reporters that "Mr. Advani has no moral and constitutional right to continue in office after the Babri Masjid demolition case accused alleged that they had pulled down the disputed structure at Ayodhya at the instigation of Mr. Advani and other senior BJP leaders."

Mr. Paswan said that Mr. Advani should have resigned after CBI had filed a supplementary chargesheet against him in a special court at Rae Bareily. Dismissing the claim that Mr. Advani need not resign as it was not a criminal case, Mr. Paswan said, "I do not know what can be more criminal than the incident which left a large number of people dead." The CPI (ML) on its part accused Mr. Advani of being the main "conspirator and instigator" in the mosque demolition and said that "in view of the serious allegations levelled against the two Ministers by the kar sevaks, they should quit".

Our Jaipur Special Correspondent reports:

The Rajasthan Chief Minister, Ashok Gehlot, today sought the resignation of Mr. Advani.

"He has no moral authority to continue in power," Mr. Gehlot said while interacting with the mediapersons here today. "It is unfortunate that the Home Minister, chargesheeted in the case, is remaining in power."

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Advani, Joshi must resign: CPI